There is scarcely a more marked difference between the condition of a
master and a slave than there was thirty years ago between the state of
an old cadet and a neux. On joining the Academy at my fourth half I
became an old cadet, and possessed all the rights and privileges of my
exalted position. I had now full liberty to wear my chin-strap up, to
go out without straps to my trousers, to fag any last-joined or
second-half cadet, and, in fact, to do very much as I liked. I was
second in my room, the head of the room being a corporal one batch
senior to me; the third of the room was a second-half cadet, and the
fourth a last-joined.
It was now my turn to send for various last-joined cadets, and call upon
them to sing songs, make odes to the moon, and speeches in favour of
fagging; and I must own that there was very great delight in exercising
this authority. Among the last-joined in my division were two of
Hostler's boys, who were considerably more advanced than I was when I
was at school with them. Now, however, there was a great gulf between
us, and I found it necessary to let them know it, for their education
had been very much neglected, as they actually gave me a familiar nod
and said, "How do, Shepard?" when they first met me at the Academy, they
being in plain clothes and last-joined, I in uniform and an old cadet.
Although I followed the usual routine of fagging the neuxes on every
possible occasion, I strictly avoided what I had considered cruelty when
I was myself a neux; so that such amusements as angles of 45 degrees,
flipping round tables, climbing stools, etc, I set my face against, and
endeavoured to discourage in others.
I made up my mind to work this half-year very hard, and to try and prove
to all my friends that I had some brains and could pass examinations
well. There was a prize given for mathematics in the class in which I
was; but this was almost certain to fall to the cadet who was first in
my class the last half-year. I, however, hoped to hold my position of
sixth in mathematics, if not to take some places, and thus to show that
it was neither by fudging nor by a fluke that I had passed so well at
the last examination. I had now every opportunity for working; I was
not worried by fears of being fagged or disturbed in any way, and could
be as quiet as I liked in my room. When a neux got rather forward and
seemed likely to pass an old cadet, there was immediately a pressure
brought to bear on the junior to prevent him from working. I had not
been forward enough in my first or second half to be a dangerous
competitor, so I never was warned to leave off "swatting," but others
had been. In the same class with me there were no cadets more than one
half junior to me, so there was no reason to bring the "old cadet"
influence to bear, even had I thought such a proceeding right, which I
did not, so we all worked on our merits.
Perhaps, as far as exciting incidents happened, my fourth half-year was
the most barren of all. The routine through which I had passed had
caused me to thoroughly enjoy what would otherwise probably never have
been looked upon as an enjoyment. To go to bed and know that I could go
to sleep with no risk of being disturbed for the purpose of going to
some room to sing, or make speeches, was in itself a luxury, and I
believe in afterlife there are few people who so thoroughly enjoy
themselves as those who in their younger days have had to rough it on
service or in savage or uncivilised countries.
Sitting, as we are at present, in a snug room, the windows rattling and
the house actually shaking with the south-east gale blowing, we feel the
greatest satisfaction in comparing our present condition with that of
some years ago, when we were tossing about in the Bay of Biscay in a
leaky vessel, short of water and provisions. As we hear the rain dash
against our windows at night, and remember that our roof is waterproof,
we feel a singular pleasure in thinking what a comfort it is not being
in our old bell-tent in the far South, through which the rain would come
like a sieve, and which sometimes required us to go out in the rain and
slacken the peg-lines, in order to prevent their contraction by wet from
pulling up the pegs and dropping the wet tent on us. By comparisons we
to a great extent learn to appreciate and enjoy, and the comparison
between my position during my first, and fourth half-year, as a cadet
was such as to make me thoroughly enjoy my life.
There was much in those days that cadets had to complain of, but which
defects have since been remedied. Formerly any cadet seen smoking was
liable to discharge. If a cadet were seen to enter a billiard-room he
would stand a fair chance of being rusticated. Trifling offences were
also not unfrequently treated as most grievous crimes, and favouritism,
that fatal enemy to all discipline, to all true energy, and to all
satisfaction with the service, was not unknown at the Academy.
As an example of the severe punishment sometimes inflicted formerly for
apparently light offences, a cadet, head of a room, had not reported the
second of his room for marking his cupboard by means of a needle arrow
blown from a tube. The cupboard of course was marked and slightly
damaged, and the head of the room was given seven days' arrest for
neglect in not reporting the case.
There was in those days a sort of struggle going on between the cadets
and the authorities, relative to cadets being put on their honour to own
to certain offences committed by them, and which there was no evidence
on which to convict them other than their own confession. The cadets
were advocates for the system of honour, which may be explained by the
following case:--
On the Common there was a house which had on its gates some grotesque
figures in stone. These figures attracted the attention of the cadets,
who periodically used to remove them, and place them on another gate.
When the parade was formed the officer on duty used to call, "Fall out
the gentlemen who removed the figures from the house on the Common!" and
instantly the culprits would fall out, and would receive a much lighter
punishment than if they had been discovered without their own
confession.
This system worked very well until it became whispered among the cadets
that one of the non-commissioned officers attached to the Academy used
to practise a system of espionage, and used to watch cadets into a
certain public-house on Shooter's Hill, where they used to assemble to
smoke and talk of an afternoon. This fact became known, and instantly
the cadets, by universal opinion, agreed that this was a breach of faith
on the part of the authorities, and consequently they refused any longer
to be "on honour." For a time there was a sort of strike between the
cadets and the authorities, during which some amusing adventures
occurred.
In our division there was an old cadet who had been a corporal, but had
been reduced for having what was called a "grog party" in his room.
This cadet decided to have another party after roll-call, and to bar out
the officer on duty, in case he tried to enter the division. To
accomplish this, the cadet procured several powerful screws, and
actually screwed up the door between the officers' quarters and the
division. We all agreed "on honour" not to reveal who the cadet was who
performed the deed, and waited in expectation of the event.
At about half-past ten we had all assembled in the room of the cadet
named, and were very jolly singing, when the neux who had been put on
watch over the door reported that the officer was trying to enter.
Immediately we all took off our boots, and went to our rooms and got
into bed with wonderful rapidity, for we anticipated what would follow.
The officer, failing to enter by the side door, soon came round to the
front, which we had not attempted to secure, and entering the room of
the cadet who had entertained us, asked him what he meant by making such
a disturbance, and who it was who had fastened up the door. The cadet
looked much surprised, and said he had heard the noise, but could not
tell where it was; and that he could not tell anything about the door
being fastened.
Each of our rooms was visited, but we were all in bed and shammed being
asleep, and pretended we knew nothing of the noise that had taken place.
On the following morning there was no response to the request of the
officer on duty, that the gentleman would fall out who had nailed up the
door communicating with the officers' quarters. The consequence was
that the whole division were confined to the enclosure, with the threat
that they would be so confined until the cadet who had screwed up the
door came forward.
A consultation was now held among the seniors, and it was agreed to
appeal, as there was no proof that the act was committed by any cadet
actually belonging to the division, the time at which the screwing was
performed was not known, and if it was done before roll-call it might
easily be done by any cadet of another division. These probabilities
having been brought forward and represented, the authorities released
the cadets of our division, and we flattered ourselves we had gained a
victory.
Some time after this event, the same cadet put in practice a very bold
scheme, which was not discovered during the term. His room was on the
ground-floor, and the window, like all others, was guarded by
cross-bars, arranged diamond-shape. The cadet was very small and thin,
and he had found that he could, by removing one entire cross of iron,
open four of the diamond patterns. Having procured a file made out of a
watch-spring, he sawed the iron bars in two; secured them temporarily
with putty, so that they did not show unless closely examined; then
removing these after roll-call, he squeezed himself through, and was at
liberty. According to his own account, he had wonderful adventures of a
night, as he on one occasion pretended to be a highwayman, on another a
ghost; but the wonderful part of the affair was, that he was never found
out, and it was not till six months afterwards that it was discovered
the iron bars had been sawn and were held together only by putty.
It was, I believe, a fact that, just at this time, there was less real
bullying than there used to be when I first joined; any way, I saw less
of it. A healthier tone also seemed to prevail at the Academy--a
condition I attributed to a certain extent to the departure of Snipson,
and one or two other similar characters--for it is surprising the
influence produced in a large establishment by one or two bad style of
men. We had started a pack of beagles, and used to run a drag, and now
and then turn out a hare, or rabbit, for a hunt. This brought running
and athletic exercises into popular favour, and I soon took a most
prominent position at the Academy as a runner and boxer.
It is often amusing to look back upon the cause of disputes or quarrels,
and to see how absurd they are after all, and how out of the merest
trifles gigantic events are produced, the original cause of which is not
unfrequently forgotten. There was a cadet named Baldock, who was older
and bigger than I was, and who was very proud of his skill as a boxer.
He was supposed to be the best pugilist at the Academy, and thirty years
ago using one's fists well was looked upon in a very different light
from what it now is. More than once Baldock and I had put on the gloves
and had a friendly spar, and I was tolerably certain I was the better
boxer of the two--thanks to Howard's training. No one, however, seemed
to be aware of this, not even Baldock, because I had always touched him
very lightly when I could have hit him hard, and he had consequently no
evidence of my capacity as a hitter.
One Friday evening we were boxing, when one of the cadets commenced
chaffing him, and telling him he was getting two hits for one; this
caused him to lose his temper, and, getting a chance, he struck me a
tremendous blow fair on the forehead. I was nearly knocked over by
this, but recovered myself, and, after a dodge or two, got equally as
fair a hit at Baldock. For three or four minutes we--struck away at
each other in earnest; Baldock then said, "It's lucky for you we've
gloves on."
"I don't think so," I replied; "I'd sooner have them off."
In less than a minute our gloves were off and a ring was formed, seconds
appointed, and we set to work deliberately to fight, for no other reason
than to try who was the best man.
I had almost instantly decided what course to adopt in the encounter.
Baldock was bigger and I believed stronger than I was, and was a good
boxer; but I, from always running, especially with the beagles, was in
the best condition. I was also quicker and more active on my legs than
he was, and had great confidence in my hitting power. I at once found I
had a great advantage in Baldock underrating me, for in the first round
he tried to finish me off at once, and I consequently caught him three
or four sharp hits without his once breaking through my guard or getting
a blow home. This evidently annoyed him, and he did not use his head as
well as he might have done. His advantages, therefore, were to some
extent lost, and I certainly got the best of the first two rounds.
After this Baldock got more steady, and we fought on like two
prizefighters for nearly three quarters of an hour, when the cadets
round interfered and stopped us, victory having failed to declare on
either side. We shook hands at the termination of the affair, and, as
is not unusually the case, became the best of friends--so much so that
in less than a fortnight afterwards Baldock was my assistant in a row,
in which we were enabled to acquit ourselves creditably.
Baldock and I were walking one afternoon from Eltham, through the fields
by Shooter's Hill Wood, when we came to a stile on which two "louts," as
we termed them, were sitting. On our coming near them they did not
attempt to move, but sat grinning at us.
"Why don't you get off that stile," said Baldock, "when you see people
coming?"
"You can get through the 'edge as you're a cat," said one of them, "we
ain't a going to move for you!"
In an instant Baldock seized one of the louts by the legs and tumbled
him backwards over the stile; he then jumped over, and I followed him;
but as I did so I received a blow on the back of the head from a stone
thrown by the lout on the stile. I was nearly stunned by the blow, but,
recovering myself, called to Baldock to come back and thrash them. We
both turned and walked towards the two men, who shouted, "Come on! we
ain't afraid of you!"
They certainly looked as if they were not afraid, and as if they ought
not to be, for they were half as big again as we were, and in their
rough clothes and great hob-nailed boots looked even bigger. The affair
was a splendid example of skill and training _versus_ brute force. The
two louts had probably never before encountered opponents who were
skilled in the use of their fists, and they merely swung their fists
round without meaning. The consequence was, that in about seven minutes
the louts were half blind, their noses were bleeding, and they were
telling us they had had enough.
"Take care how you insult gentlemen cadets again," said Baldock, "for
there are fifty cadets who can thrash us with one hand!"
This was his farewell remark as we doubled off without a scratch or
touch, except on our knuckles, from the blows we had given. "I think,"
said Baldock, "that cram of mine about the cadets will make the louts
careful; and I tell you what, Shepard, I'd a deuced deal rather have you
alongside of me in a fight than against me. How splendidly you dodged
that fellow's round blows, and gave it him straight between the eyes!
You'll be as good a boxer as Howard, who used to be so famed at the
shop."
"Howard taught me how to box," I said.
"The deuce he did! Ah, then, I don't mind having fought you for an hour
without making much impression on you. I never knew that before.
Howard has a tremendous reputation, and I believe deserves it."
The half-year was now drawing to a close, and we were all thinking about
the examinations. I adopted the same plan that I had formerly, and used
to work very hard in academy, and of a night used to think over various
problems and test what I actually knew. The head of my room never saw
me working out of study hours, and fancied I was not going in to do
much; and with him one of the six cadets ahead of me used to work of an
evening, whilst I used to read books of sporting or travels. When all
was quiet, however, I used to think over various questions, and felt
tolerably certain I knew these better than if I had superficially gone
over them with another cadet. I was much amused at the general idea
that I should go back again near the bottom of the class, as it was not
likely I should fluke again, as it was supposed I had last examination.
I, however, waited my time, and determined to be very careful at the
examination, and not be too sure I had done a question correctly until I
had read it over a second time.
The mathematical examination at length commenced in my class, and I was
surprised to find the cadet absent whom every one thought would be
first. I soon heard that he was taken ill the evening before, and had
gone to hospital, every one believing he had worked too hard, as he was
known to have kept up lights for several nights previous to the
examination.
I read over the examination paper, and believed I could do each
question. I commenced them in order, and arranged my Work very
carefully and neatly, and before half the attendance was over I had
finished them all. I then carefully read over each of my answers, and
corrected some errors that I discovered in the working, and in fact
re-did the questions that were wrong. I never took my attention once
off my paper after commencing, and at length, when satisfied I had done
all I knew, I found I had still an hour to spare. I then took a look
round the room, and saw the Inspector in the octagon talking to the
mathematical master, and looking at me. I felt certain I was the
subject of conversation, and I instantly remembered the suspicion there
had been of my having fudged last half. I also saw that the desks had
been arranged so that near me were the worst mathematicians in the
class, so that, even had it been possible for me to see their work, I
could not have gained advantage from it. I saw also that some of the
cadets who had beaten me last examination were in difficulties. There
is no mistaking this at an examination; there was the usual red-flushed
face, the unsettled positions, the biting of nails, the perpetual
dipping of the pen in the ink, and yet writing nothing, indicating that
there was a fix somewhere. Seeing the Inspector still in the octagon, I
took up my paper, and gave it the master, who asked me if I had done all
the questions.
"I think I have," I replied.
"Very well, then, you may leave the room," said the Inspector.
I went out and had a game of rackets to take away the heady feeling I
had about me; then went and read the papers, and did not look at a book
before going in for my afternoon examination.
Again I set to work in the same deliberate way, and found that I could,
as I believe, do all the questions. The examination in mathematics
lasted two days, and I believed I had done far better than at my last
trial; but there is always great uncertainty as regards what one has
really accomplished, mistakes being made which we never dream of, and
usually fail to discover if we read over our own answers, even half a
dozen times.
The examination in other subjects, such as fortifications, geometrical
drawing, French, German, etc, I did well in, but as mathematics counted
most, I hoped for much out of that.
It was usual formerly to continue studies after the examinations, and we
therefore sometimes managed to obtain information from the masters as to
how we had done. Believing I might gain some information, I made an
excuse for asking the master how I had done, or if he knew yet how any
one had done. I saw a pleasant expression in the mathematician's face,
who said, "In the first two papers you are several marks ahead of
anybody. Have you done as well in the others?"
"I think I have," I replied.
"I'm very glad of it, as I told the Inspector I believed you would come
out well."
This information I kept to myself, and waited patiently for the whole
examination to be made known, though I could not help being amused at
hearing many of the cadets below me speaking of it as a certainty that
they were sure to take my place, as I had not worked at all.
The morning at length arrived when the marks were to be read out, and we
all rushed into academy and waited with great anxiety to hear the result
of the examination. The master took the paper in his hand very
deliberately, put on his spectacles, and said, "Silence, gentlemen, if
you please, and I will read out the marks for the mathematical
examination."
We were all as quiet as mice, and waited, pencil in hand, for the news.
The master then said, "First"--and after waiting half a minute, as
though to increase our curiosity, repeated--"First, Mr Shepard; decimal
78. Second, Mr Hackland; decimal 75. Third, Mr Bowden; decimal 8"--
and so on.
When my name was read out as first I could scarcely forbear a smile. I
knew it was a total surprise to the whole class, and to me it was
unexpected, for I never hoped to get higher than third or fourth; and on
finding myself first, I would not at the time have changed places with a
lord. Helen Stanley came to my mind, and I thought what she would say
when she heard I was first, and saw my name in the paper as having
gained the second mathematical prize. I lost interest in the reading
out of the marks after the first half dozen names had been given. The
cadet who stood third had what we called "a shorter coarse" than I had,
and was lower than I was, because he gained less marks, though he had
done slightly better than I had in his shorter subjects, gaining decimal
8 in what he had done. He was a cadet who had joined three months after
me, and who had come to the Academy knowing enough mathematics to pass
him through without any further trouble, his father having been a
Cambridge Wrangler, who had taught him algebra about the same time he
taught him his letters.
After the reading out of the marks I was congratulated by several
cadets, whilst surprise was expressed as to how I had done so well,
when, as was supposed, I had never worked out of academy. In reality, I
believe I had worked my brain more than any other cadet in the class,
and to this was mainly due my success, for I had developed a power of
independent and intense thought, which made thinking easy, and enabled
me to solve problems which a superficial or unthinking system of working
never would have enabled me to solve.
For several days after the examination I felt very happy, little
dreaming that a disappointment was in store for me, for the fact of
being first in an examination had on all previous occasions secured the
mathematical prize. I believed I should not have been first had not the
best man been compelled to go to hospital; but this I looked on as the
fortune of war, like a horse breaking down in its training. Just before
the public examination, however, I learnt that I was not to receive the
prize, but that it was to be given to Bowden, who was third, the reason
assigned being that he was junior to me in joining the Academy, and had
gained a higher decimal than I had. This was my first disappointment
and my first experience of what I at least believed to be injustice.
During the half-year I had passed Bowden, and during the previous
half-year I had come from nearly last of the class to within two places
of him. These facts made me feel half angry, half disappointed, and
produced on me a sort of irritation that nearly induced me to become
insubordinate, for I could not help fancying that favouritism had
something to do with the selection. I, however, made no appeal, and
took the matter as patiently as I could.
It seemed now tolerably certain that the next half-year I should qualify
for my commission, and might hope to be in the first four or five of my
batch--a position that I never hoped to attain after I had been three
months at the Academy, and which seemed impossible when I was straggling
to cram at Mr Hostler's academy.
The next half-year I should become a corporal, and should be one of the
seniors, and should, consequently, have far more authority than I
possessed as an old cadet only. It would be my last also at the
Academy, for on joining the practical class we were removed to the
Arsenal, and there occupied so exalted a rank that we did not mix much
with cadets at the Upper Academy, as it was termed, in consequence of
its standing on higher ground than the cadet barracks at the Arsenal.
I must confess that when I saw Bowden called from his seat at the public
examination, and given the second prize for mathematics, which was
delivered to him by a handsome old officer, I felt that if our merits
had been fairly weighed I ought to have received the prize; but
probably, had I received it, his feelings might have been similar. It
is hard to be treated with injustice, but we are all inclined to fancy
more or less that our merits are never fully acknowledged, and when
certain men are selected for honours, while we are left out in the cold,
that our claims were greater than theirs, and that we are victims to
favouritism or want of perception in those who ought to have seen our
value.
Although I did well in other branches of study, I stood no chance of
gaining a prize in anything except mathematics. In drawing I was good,
but there were several cadets much better, whom I was not likely to pass
or excel.
Just before the vacation I received an invitation from Howard to pass a
week with him in London, where he was staying on leave. Such a chance
was not to be refused, so on leaving the Academy I went to town and
found Howard in lodgings not far from his club. He was very glad to see
me, and congratulated me on my success at the Academy, and gave it as
his opinion that I had been "chowsed" out of the prize for mathematics.
During the week I passed with Howard in London, I, for the first time,
had a taste of what London life was like. Out of the six evenings I was
twice at the opera, once at the Haymarket theatre, once at a ball, to
which Howard took me, once at a bachelors' gathering at Evans's, and the
remaining night at Howard's club. For a week this kind of life, from
its novelty, was pleasant, but I made up my mind that it was a mistake,
and that the quiet of the forest was healthier and better both for mind
and body.
We visited the Row in the morning and the park in the afternoon, and saw
certainly some of the most beautiful women in the world, for, no matter
where we may travel or what nations we may visit, we come back and see
in old England that her daughters are unrivalled.
As I sauntered on with Howard through the crowd I wondered how Helen
Stanley would compare with some of the beauties I saw, and, as often
happens to us when we think of a person, whom should I suddenly meet but
the lady about whom I was thinking. The instant I saw her I knew there
was something about her--I could not say what--which made her look
different from those near her. She was natural and rather plainly
dressed, and not what is, we believe, technically called "made up."
There was no paint or powder, false hair, or strengthened eyebrows, and
she therefore seemed like a looker-on on the boards of a theatre where
all the others were dressed up to act parts. She was only in town for a
short time, and hoped to be down at the Heronry before my vacation was
over.
"How is your cousin?" I inquired.
"I believe quite well," replied Miss Stanley; "but I have seen little of
him in the last three months, and shall see less now."
I looked at Miss Stanley inquiringly, and site read my look correctly,
for she volunteered in a low tone the information that it was all off
between them.
"That is a thorough genuine, nice girl," said Howard, as we parted from
her. "Who is she?"
I explained to him all I knew about her, and he again declared she was
charming. That he thought so, there was no doubt.